“Caring for a person with dementia means accompanying them every day through a complex journey. Listening to those who take on this role is the first step towards building a more inclusive and compassionate future.”
Last week, FICUS ETS had the pleasure of hosting Beata Mintus, a PhD researcher from the University of Szczecin, Poland, who is conducting an important international study focused on informal caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Behind every person living with a neurodegenerative condition, there is often someone who quietly dedicates their time, energy, and a significant part of their life to providing daily care and support. These are sons and daughters, spouses, siblings, relatives, friends, and loved ones who, despite having no formal professional training, become essential pillars for the wellbeing and quality of life of those they care for.
It is these individuals that Beata’s doctoral research seeks to understand and support. The study explores the experiences, needs, challenges, and coping strategies of informal caregivers across different European countries, identifying both common patterns and national differences. Particular attention is being given to the role that emerging technologies can play in supporting caregivers, offering practical tools to improve care, reduce isolation, and enhance the quality of life of both caregivers and older adults living with dementia.
For one week, we had the opportunity to accompany Beata throughout her field research in Sicily, travelling across several municipalities in the Madonie area and meeting individuals who generously agreed to share their experiences, stories, and perspectives.
During this research visit, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted, collecting valuable and authentic testimonies. Each conversation revealed a unique personal journey, yet all were united by universal feelings of love, responsibility, concern, resilience, and hope. We listened to people who face complex challenges every day—challenges that often remain invisible to society, yet are fundamental to ensuring dignity, safety, and comfort for their loved ones.
The stories gathered highlighted just how essential informal caregivers are within our communities and how important it is to develop services, tools, and policies capable of supporting those who dedicate themselves to caring for others. In this context, digital technologies can offer concrete opportunities. Dedicated applications, monitoring systems, smart devices, and support platforms have the potential to make daily caregiving more manageable while promoting greater autonomy and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
This experience represented far more than a simple research activity. It was an opportunity for listening, learning, and intercultural exchange, demonstrating how European collaboration can contribute to finding shared solutions to challenges that affect millions of families across the continent.
FICUS ETS would like to sincerely thank all the individuals who participated in the interviews and opened the doors of their homes and personal experiences, contributing their time, knowledge, and stories to this important study.
A special thank you goes to Beata Mintus for the professionalism, sensitivity, and enthusiasm with which she conducted her fieldwork, building genuine connections with the people she met throughout this journey.
Dear Beata, thank you for choosing Sicily and the Madonie region as part of your research journey. We hope that your work will become a meaningful contribution to improving the lives of countless families across Europe and to giving greater recognition to those who dedicate themselves every day to caring for others. We wish you the very best with your PhD and all the milestones that lie ahead. We are confident that this is only the beginning of a path filled with achievements, discoveries, and meaningful impact.
